Spun
by hugglesbunny
Summary: When Mary Alice Brandon is sent to an insitution for the mentally unstable she meets possibly the most sane people she has ever known, be they doctors or the residents there for treatment. A/J, other canon couples.
1. The Spider and the Wasp

A/N This is the first Twilight fan fiction I've posted, and after all the B/E ones that I've started I'm shocked to be posting a J/A first. Oh well. Needless to say, I don't own Twilight, or probably even most of the plot (especially since it gets more and more Girl Interrupted as I think about it) and I make no moolah from it. I wouldn't be slaving away in my dungeon day after day if I did. Just to clear things up, this is a teaser, of sorts. The next chapter will start from the beginning.

* * *

I had seen how tenderly he would care for me. I already loved him, despite not having met him yet.

* * *

"I watched a wasp kill a spider today."

Dr Cullen peered over his spectacles, regarding the girl in front of him for a moment before asking, "In real life, or in one of your dreams."

She refrained from reminding him yet again that her dreams, as he called them, were merely real life that hadn't happened yet.

"In real life."

She fiddled with the small straps hanging around her wrists, meeting the doctor's gaze evenly. He stared back, though she knew he had given up on expecting her to elaborate without prodding.

"Where'd you see this?"

"Outside my window." She coughed once and rearranged herself on the uncomfortable grey couch. "Charlie put up a good fight though."

His blonde eyebrows raised and he gave her a questioning look.

"Charlie?"

"The spider. I named him Charlie after Charlotte, from Charlotte's Web."

"Mmhmm…"

He gave an interested hum and scribbled something on the notepad on his lap, causing her to smile to herself. God only knew what he and the other doctors would make that mean about her. Childlike tendencies, an inability to connect to people, an incessant need to live in a fantasy world. She had heard it all before, first from a never-ending line of high-paid psychiatrists and then from the steady stream of doctor's who had seen her at the institute.

Once he finished his notations his blue eyes met hers once more.

"What happened?"

"The wasp got caught in the web and the spider tried to spin him up. Then the wasp got angry and flew off, then came back and they started fighting. I guess he managed to sting Charlie since he was hanging from the web." She looked thoughtful then added, "Then the wasp came back and cut off Charlie's legs and took them somewhere."

She already knew what the next question would be.

"Why is this important?"

"I don't think it's terribly important, not in the grand scheme of things."

"Why tell me then?"

She shrugged.

"It was interesting to watch. And I'm kind of sad Charlie's gone. I liked watching him spin his web. It was pretty."

She knew she sounded childish, but she really couldn't help it if she encouraged the doctors' perceptions of her. It was easier once they had labeled her and put her in a box on the shelf with all their other cases.

"You don't get a whole lot of pretty here, do you?"

Then again, Carlisle Cullen was proving to be sharper than most of the other psychiatrists she'd seen. He seemed to understand that underneath the alleged psychosis and delusions, she was still a person.

She smiled serenely.

"The art in the hall is nice. And Rosalie is very pretty."

The corners of his mouth twitched up at that, though he tried not to show it.

"One girl can't compensate for all the ugliness in your life, Alice."

She shrugged once more, glancing up as the clock struck twelve and saved her from having to answer.

"It was nice talking to you again, Carlisle."

He nodded, an amused air still about him as she stood and headed for the door. Before it could fully close behind her, she stuck her head back into the office.

"Tell Zafrina it's not as bad as the doctors say. Her son will walk again."

Carlisle's eyebrows shot up and she closed the door quickly, before he could ask her any questions.

Later that day he found Zafrina sobbing in the nurses' rec room. Her son had been in a car accident and was paralyzed from the waist down. As the woman sobbed into another nurse's shoulder, Alice's words ran through his mind unbidden and he suppressed a shiver.

* * *

So yeah, odd,I know but let me know what you think.


	2. The First Few Strands

Her first day at the Institute had been… interesting.

It was obvious from the gentle treatment she received from the nurses and the stares she received from the other patients that her last psychiatrist had told them about her. She had settled in quickly though, learning the routine and the other patients intricacies easily.

* * *

Alice would never forget the first time she met Bella.

She had been sitting on her bed, staring blankly out the open door to her room when a slim brunette had gone drifting by, pausing only when she noticed Alice sitting in the formerly vacant room. Brown eyes fixed on Alice and, had she not known what the girl was going to say, the next words out of her mouth would have been shocking.

"Are you the new girl? You look like someone I used to know. She was a vampire though, and you seem perfectly normal." She paused, a ghost of a smile flashing across her face. "Well as normal as you can be when you're in this place."

Alice had nodded and introduced herself.

"I think we'll be great friends Bella."

Bella smiled, suddenly appearing years younger.

"That sounds nice. I don't have a whole lot of friends here. It's just not the same without Edward."

Alice glanced at the girl next to her.

"Who's Edward?"

"My boyfriend back home." Bella sighed wistfully and tugged at a strand of hair. "I met him when I moved up to Forks to live with my dad. He was in my biology class."

"What's he like?"

"He's… wonderful." She gave another wistful smile, her eyes seeming to focus miles away. "I'll introduce you the next time he comes to visit."

"I'd like that, Bella."

* * *

"Hello Alice." Doctor Cullen's vice was warm and soothing, a nice change after Dr. Volturi's rasping cough. How are you today?"

"As well as can be expected."

He smiled and motioned for her to sit down on the couch opposite him. She complied, dropping onto the couch with a grimace as she realized how uncomfortable it was.

"I'm Carlisle Cullen. I'll be your therapist during your stay here. Why don't you start by telling me a bit about yourself."

It was the same routine, from psychiatrist to psychiatrist, though she really did like Dr. Cullen. He seemed like he honestly wanted to help her not just collect his hourly fee and move on to the next headcase. He was simply one more part of the new routine.

It was two days later when another part of the puzzle fit into place.

"Alice?" Zafrina's bright red hair appeared in the doorway to her room. "Honey, I have a new roommate for you. Rosalie, play nice." This was directed at the tall dark figure that stood behind her, defiance evident in every line of her body. When she said nothing, Zafrina ushered her into the room, dropping a small bag on the empty bed and smiling at both girls.

"Have fun!"

Alice stared as Zafrina walked out, entirely too cheerful for someone who worked in a mental institute. As the Amazon woman disappeared, she turned her eyes back to her new roommate. Rosalie was wearing black pants and a black sweatshirt with the hood up, covering her entire body except for her face. The only thing visible was a pair of bright blue eyes, which were currently fixed on Alice.

"What are you in here for?"

Alice thought about it for a moment, finally settling on, "None of the anti-psychosis medicine made my psychosis go away, and my parents were tired of dealing with it."

"You don't seem psychotic."

Alice shrugged.

"My parents don't share that opinion."

"Hmph." Rosalie didn't look satisfied with the answer, but let the subject drop. After a moment of silence she looked back at Alice. "Don't you want to know why I'm here?"

Alice shrugged again.

"If you want to tell me."

Without a moments' hesitation Rosalie answered, I killed someone."

"Really?"

Rosalie looked up sharply at the politely interested tone.

"You aren't going to freak out and call me a murderer?"

"You don't seem like a murderer."

As Alice echoed Rosalie's words from earlier, a small smile spread across the taller girls face.

"You know, my last roommate was a whiny little bitch, but I may be able to deal with this."

Alice smiled broadly and Rosalie's defiant posture instantly relaxed as she moved away from the door and dropped onto her bed.

"Have you met anyone yet?"

"I met Dr. Cullen and Zafrina."

Rosalie shook her head. "I don't mean the staff. Have you met any of the crazies yet?"

"You mean besides you?"

"Yeah." Rosalie grinned. "Besides me."

"I met Bella yesterday."

"Well then you just met the craziest of them all."

"Why—" Alice was cut off as Zafrina stuck her head back through the door.

"Ladies, I know you want to get acquainted but it's lights out. Rosalie, Dr. Cullen wants to talk to you for a moment before you go to sleep."

Rosalie rolled her eyes at Alice and dutifully followed Zafrina out of the room, leaving Alice to go to sleep.

* * *

_She lay in bed, burrowed into the warmth that her blankets offered. She was nearly asleep when a solid weight slid into bed with her, wrapping its arms around her comfortingly. She knew without a doubt that it was him, knew it in the gentle way that he held her, the warmth that he radiated. As his breathing echoed along her back she sighed and relaxed into it…_

She woke with a start, disoriented and alone in her small bed. Across the room she could see a lump in Rosalie's bed; she had no idea how much time had passed but obviously Rosalie was back from her talk with Carlisle and already asleep. Her heart beat slowed, almost weakened by the realization that it had been another vision, not reality, not yet at least. Possibly not ever.

Remembering the peaceful feeling he had given her she sighed softly and lay back into bed.

"Please let this one come true."

_This time she was truly dreaming, not Seeing. Even in her craziest moments she knew that she would never be a spider, for that was what she was. She moved effortlessly along the thin threads of web underneath her, feeling the delicate vibrations that shivered with every step. There was a sense of struggle coming from ahead of her, one that made the spider part of her excited. Sure enough, there was a large black fly trapped in the center of her web, struggling valiantly against the silk that trapped it. With a single minded purpose she wrapped it up, nearly delighting in its fruitless struggles to free itself. Only when she had nearly completed her spinning did she really look down and realize that her struggling victim was herself, bound and unable to fight anymore._

She woke once more, staring out the small window at the near-dawn light outside. Her breathing was labored once more and it took several minutes to calm her racing heart. She finally managed to calm down enough to listen to Rosalie's even breathing. Thankfully her new roommate could sleep through her thrashing attempts at sleep. Unwilling to go back to sleep and risk another dream she dug under bed for the sketchbook she had bought before coming to the Institute, setting herself against the wall and sketching with an almost detached grace. By the time she was done, the nurses had started walking the halls outside the room and Rosalie was starting to stir.

Another day had begun.

* * *

I really try not to be a total review whore but I was a tad disappointed that not one person let me know what they thought. Oh well. I guess I shall continue to pine. As always Twilight is not mine, I just borrow them from time to time.


	3. Anchoring the Edges

The two girls were eating breakfast the next day when Alice remembered Rosalie's comment from the day before.

"What's the deal with Bella?"

Rosalie took another bite of her eggs and shot Alice a questioning look.

"What do you mean what's the deal with Bella? She's psycho." The blonde froze, remembering why Alice was sitting next to her, and quickly began trying to back pedal. "Not that psycho's a bad thing…"

She gave Alice a guilty look and then broke out smiling, completely unable to even feign sheepishness. The two started laughing, a mutual understanding flowing between them. To Zafrina's utter amazement and Dr. Cullen's surprised delight, the two had become fast friends, like sisters who had been separated at birth.

"She doesn't ever get visitors?"

Rosalie shook her head, her hood sliding back the slightest bit to reveal blonde hair pulled severely back. Alice ignored it as the other girl twitched slightly and readjusted her sweatshirt.

"What about her boyfriend? He doesn't come and visit her?"

A derisive snort burst from underneath her hood and Rosalie's voice was harsh as she asked, "Who, Edward?"

When Alice nodded, Rosalie snorted again.

"Did she tell you what she's in here for?"

"No. Why, is she dangerous?"

"Only to herself. She's convinced that Edward is a vampire, and that he's going to change her so they can be together forever. They were dating, and when all that went down his dad had to remove him from school. They ended up moving to South America or something."

"Oh." Alice was silent, remembering the way Bella had spoken about her 'love'.

"Yeah. When he left she got really depressed and became a zombie. She had one friend, some guy named Jonathan or Jacob or Julian or something and they thought that he would be able to snap her out of it but a couple months later they found her about to throw herself off a cliff, and her dad checked her in here." Rosalie's expression softened slightly as she added, "For some reason her mind refuses to accept that he was human, and that he left her."

"Her parents don't even come and visit her?"

"No. The last time they did her mother left in tears because all she wanted to talk about was Edward." Rosalie shook her head. "She doesn't realize that she could lie and get out of here. She doesn't even need to stop believing vampires exist, she just needs to tell them that she's no longer madly in love with one. Every time they ask her, she's adamant that he's going to come for her and bite her, and they're going to live happily ever after or some shit."

"You don't like her."

It wasn't a question and they both knew it. Rosalie was silent for a moment, thinking it over and she finally said, "I don't dislike her. I just think she's stupid for throwing everything away for a guy."

"Maybe they were truly in love."

"Why would he leave her if they were truly in love? You might as well say maybe he was truly a vampire."

Alice grinned.

"I'm sure stranger things have happened."

Rosalie rolled her eyes, "You're in a mental institution. Of course they have…"

"Sometimes love makes you do crazy things."

Rosalie stiffened, all the humor leaving her face as she stared ahead blankly.

"There's no such thing as love."

When Rosalie got that look on her face, Alice was more than ready to believe she had killed someone. Her face was completely devoid of emotion, her blue eyes empty. After a moment they snapped back into focus and she shrugged.

"But then again what do I know?"

They were silent for the rest of breakfast, both caught up in their own thoughts. As they cleared their dishes away, Zafrina walked up to them, smiling broadly.

"Alice honey, Dr. Cullen wanted me to remind you that you get to choose a special activity for your birthday. You can't leave the grounds, but if there's anything you want to do here…"

Alice shrugged. "What do people normally do?"

The tall red head grinned. "Most patients just want to sleep in. Some want a cake, or a movie. You can also invite any visitors you want for a short period of time. You want me to call your mom?"

Her short black hair flew as she shook her head. "I don't think I'm ready to see my mom yet, Zafrina."

"I understand sweetie. Why don't you think about it and get back to me."

Alice nodded and the tall nurse walked away, whistling cheerfully.

When the girls were back in their room getting ready for group, Rosalie fixed her with a look.

"Why didn't you mention your birthday was coming up?"

"I don't know." Alice thought about it a moment. "I didn't think it was that big of a deal. Besides, my birthdays are normally crappy."

Rosalie's voice was teasing as she asked, "Well, how old are you going to be? Do we need to be having a sweet sixteen?

"I'm going to be 20."

Rosalie stared at her, all traces of humor leaving her pretty face.

"You're not a minor?"

Alice gave her a confused look.

"Obviously not if I'm turning twenty. I may be crazy but that doesn't mean I magically skip a few years."

"You told me your parents were tired of dealing with you. How did they put you in here if you're not a minor?"

"I checked in voluntarily."

Rosalie continued staring at her, her blue eyes burning into her.

"I'm sorry, I thought you just said you checked in here voluntarily."

"I did."

"Why?" Before Alice could answer Rosalie added, "I mean if you did come here voluntarily maybe you are psychotic but still… who would want to be here."

Alice shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny and began to fiddle with her shirt sleeve.

"I had a vision."

"You had a vision? A vision of what, exactly?"

"Of being here." Knowing how Rosalie would react to her next statement, she lowered her voice til it was barely a whisper. "Of meeting my soul mate here."

Rosalie frowned, her eyes darkening. "You're just as bad as Bella, throwing everything away for a guy. And one you haven't even met yet!"

"You haven't seen him Rose. He's… perfect. My gift was tearing my family apart and when my mother suggested I go away for awhile to get 'help' I had a vision of meeting him here."

"So? You can't just go find him out in the real world?"

"No." She shook her head. "It was only when this place entered my possible futures that I saw him. These things aren't set in stone, they're merely possibilities, or in some cases probabilities."

The blonde picked at her fingernails, seeming to think over what Alice had told her, and after a long moment she sighed.

"I guess I am glad you came here. Once you meet him, are you going to get the hell out of here like a sane person?"

Alive cracked a small smile. "Hopefully. As I said, it isn't guaranteed that it'll work. Sometimes when I try to make the future I see come true, it ends up preventing it instead. All I know is that by coming here it became a possibility that he and I would be together. She blushed, an unusual look on her normally passive face. "You should see him Rose, he's so sweet."

"If you say so." There was a brief pause and then Rose said, "That's why your parents thought you were psycho, because you have visions?"

"Yeah."

"What are they about?"

Alice fidgeted in her seat, her discomfort at the current questions obvious.

"About the future… The weather, sports games, my friends and families personal lives. Pretty much anything and everything." She shrugged. "I've been repressing them more lately but I can't control it when I sleep.

Rosalie's voice was awed as she repeated, "The future… 'Possible futures'. Wow." Then almost as if she couldn't help herself, "Have you seen anything about me?"

"Not much. I only know things when people make up their minds about things. I know that the day you turn eighteen you're leaving here, but after that it's hazy."

"Any crackpot could figure that out," but her voice didn't carry the normal derision that people had when dismissing her visions and she could tell Rosalie was starting to believe.


End file.
